Method of setting type and mechanism therefor



FeB. 1940.

J. L. WEIGAND METHOD OF SETTING TYPE AND MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed Feb. 3, 1938 Emil . INVENTOR. -=-z10u- L. M/EIGAND.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 6, 1 940 A E- T OFF-ICE. j

imt'rnon oFj SETTING 1 MECHANISM THEREFOR John L. Weigand, Dayton, Ohio I ApplicationFebi-uary'3,"1938, Serial No. 188,535

5 Claims. (01. 101-396).

ing it together mechanically as a unit, for use in printing.

Briefly I provide for means in the bodies of the type, a spacing quad which is expansiblex when compressed, and a holder which utilizesthis expansibility to'retain' the type in a portable line, ready for installation into a chase.

Also the type can be removed from the'assembly,

for assorting it for re-use without any difficulty, and without necessity of modifying the type structure adapted to present sorting devices.

' Among other things I provide a type receiving holder which is combined preferably with a justifying mechanism, and preferably also a mirror to make the type layin'g easy. Also I provide a holder which seats in a countersink ineach type body and does not project beyond the type at the ends of the line into which holder the type expands and thus frictionally is retained.

I accomplish my object more specifically by that practice and structural arrangement to be hereinafter illustrated in the drawings and f described withreference to a single example. The novelty inherent in my invention willbe set forth as in the claims that follow, to whichrefer'enceis hereby made. r

In the drawing:

,Figure 1 is a perspective of a piece of foundry type altered to use according to my invention. 40 Fig. 2 is a quad adapted to use inmy invention.

Fig. 3 is a holder, also adapted for said use. Figs. 4 and 5 are side elevations of a line of type with the holder about to be applied, and with the holder in position as it is first applied.

Fig. 6 is a perspective showing the line of type It will be more readily understandable to describethe mechanical structure employed by me beginning with thetype. I propose to use'the regular form of foundry type having the type high body ,I and the type face .2. The usual groove 3 whereby the type face is oriented and whereby the type may be later assorted mechanically, may be provided, as usual. In addition XI provide for an. assembling groove '4 in the properorientation to the type face, i. e.,on that portion of the type body which will be uppermost when'prlnting- The grooves 4, are uniform in used- The simplest form of compressible and 'expansible quad which I employ is one having side tween the plates is located a strip of rubber or position and of uniform dimensions for each type other compressible and expansible material 6.

for justifying' Fig. 5 shows this line of type compressed, to justify'it,.i. e., to impart the'correct length to the line, although as shown, andas practiced by me this justification is to a dimensionrslightly less'than the 'desiredjlength of the line. 1 In'fjFig; 4, the holder is'shown separated,

and in Fig. 5 as it is slipped over the justified line Oftype l b ,The, holder consists of a bar .8, which fit jsnugly into thegrooves 5 of the type and I of the .quads. Onjfthje ends of this holder will be plates '19 which are preferably of substantially the dimension of the, typeitself, although they might besoine'what smaller. They should not be larger.

When this holder is slipped down over the line of type with the bar 8 snugly engaging and thus countersunk into the type and quad bodies, as illustrated in Fig. 5, the outer faces of the type extremities of the line will not touch the end plates 9. When the line of type is released from the grip of the'justifying means, the quads will endeavor to expand and this will result in the type being gripped by the end plates. As shown in Fig. 6, I then have a portable line of type made up of foundry type, capable of any use to which a cast line of type can be used, but which can be disassembled by pulling away the holder.

The holders will be made to dimensions which will be exactly correct for the final line justification or dimension. If the justifying device has to be cleared by the holders it will be the best practice to form a groove III, in each of the end I4 is erected above the back 13, in order that the type setter can see the type as he lays them, with their printing faces slanted away from him. Also on the back board I will preferably locate a scale l5, the calibrations being such that the type setter can bring his line of type to approximately the correct dimension.

Proceeding with the use 'of the assembling board, the operator will spread the justifying jaws H, and commence placing the type and quads on the bottom ridge or supporting ledge,

resting against the back. He will use the scale 'for his starting and end of the line approximately a little beyond the necessary line length for the ultimate printing. He will then bring the jaws together, watching the scale so that the type will be justified by compression of the quads to slightly less than the dimension for the printed line, which will also be slightly less than the dimension of the holder which he will employ. He then pushes the holder into place and releases the justifying jaws. In this operation the slotted end plates are of advantage because the holder can be put at least partially in place before the pressure is relaxed. In case the type does not spring out immediately due to expansion of the quads this slot will not be necessary.

The type will in any event expand to the exact line dimensions as defined by the spacing of the holder end plates, and will furthermore stay in position gripped by the holder, due again to the functioning of the quads. It can then be removed and moved for location in a chase, or for any printing operation, without coming apart or without losing line justification or alignment. The holder is entirely out of position where any of its edges will print, and the rubber filling of the quads is less than the dimension of the side plates of the quads so that it will not be squeezed out into printing position as a result of compression.

When the printing is accomplished for which the type was set, the units can be removed from the printing device, the holders pulled away and the type sorted into kinds.

The simplicity of this practice in hand type setting to accomplish the same objects as line cast type operations is apparent without further discussion. The equipment is cheap, the grooving of the type an operation which can be performed in the same manner as the present grooving without additional foundry operations.

Instead of justifying by the use of a scale, there might readily be applied an adjustable mechanism whereby the justifying jaws would come to a single position when forced toward each other dependent upon some pro-setting of the mechanism. The type could be set in some other form of device so long as the justification could be applied to them in a manner permitting the application of the holder.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A method of type setting using foundry type which consists in assembling and justifying a line of type employing compressible and expansible quads, and then applying a holder to the type, so as to snugly engage grooves in the type and abut the ends of the type in the line.

2. A method of type setting using foundry type which consists in assembling and justifying a line of type employing compressible and expans'ible quads, and then applying a holder to the type. so as to snugly engage grooves in the type and abut the ends of the type in the line, the type being first justified to smaller than final justified length so as to expand within the holder between the end plates.

3. For use in the practice of justifying a line of type, a type setting board having a grooved slanting wall against which type is to be rested, j'ustifier jaws projecting through said groove, and

a ledge substantially at right angles to the wall on which the type are supported.

4. For use in the practice of justifying a line of type, a type setting board having a grooved slanting Wall against which type is to be rested, justi'fier jaws projecting through said groove, and a ledge substantially at right angles to the wall on which the type are supported, said wall being surmounted by a mirror for viewing the type while setting the same.

5. For use in the practice of justifying a line 01' type, a type setting board having a grooved slanting wall against which type is to be rested, justifier jaws projecting through said groove, and a ledge substantially at right angles to the wall 'on which the type are supported, said wall havthe justification can be made.

JOHN L. 'WEIGAND. 

